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It’s one of the first times I’ve seen pity in his eyes

“Pax is safe We got it under control…”

“You have half the bounty hunters in the Republic after you,” I say “The Wardens are one step behind You and ar He was their founder Their war hero Accident or not, they want blood” I put a hand on the table,the spit “Sevro Brother What about this seems in control to you?”

That plays on his guilt and his insecurities He doubts Victra’s plan His shoulders curve forward into the slu man Selfishly, I want him to choose to tell me I need that choice from him so I don’t resent him for the rest of my life

“Sevro, where is lassy “I know this isn’t your doing You’d be with your daughters, not carving upfor some escape He wants t

o tell me, but he loves his wife more than his conscience

“I wasn’t here,” he mutters “I had Darrow’s back till I had to have Victra’s You’re third in line So don’t keep asking We’ll get Pax to you That’s an oath But I gotta have my wife’s back”

“So you won’t tell me”

“Maybe I’d tell Mustang But you ain’t her You’re the Sovereign now I finally get that V’s been telling n Darrow’s the Reaper Everything else is second Shit, I ain’t even supposed to be talking to you”

“Yet you are”

He nods “I’ll catch hell for it She thinks you’re some sort of mind reader Or that I’m a dumbass that’ll spill the beans Prolly true”

It hurts to see hiry with him In some ways I am But this isn’t his fault Victra is to blaht or wrong for her, only hers and everyone else I was hers It was a warinia shrank and the Sovereign grew Perhaps it was inevitable, a faultline between the consciences of our two clans that now has ripped open into a gulf It may never mend But Sevro is Sevro I have to believe that No o cold like Victra and Darrow This is breaking him apart The horrid violence, the lowered head, the refusal to communicate—all remnants of his early survival mechanisms Do we ever leave them behind?

I don’t need him to betray Victra I can’t ask him for that But I can relieve this burden froulf between us Communication is our salvation

“Sevro, I already knohat she’s doing”

“Naw” His eyes harden “She said you’d say that Try to pick me for intel” He hefts his knife “Now stay real still I don’t want to poke any of you But this needs doin’”